Nut-castellating machine



Jan. 15, 1929.

1,699,010. E. J. MOELLER ET AL. v

NUT CASTELLATING MACHINE:

Filed Nov. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. la, 1929. E.; MOELLER ET AL 1,699,010

NUT CASTELLATING MACHINE Filedl Nov. 9, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet E. J. MOELLER ET AL NUT CASTELLATING MACHENE Filed Nov. 9,

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Jan. 15, 1929.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J'. MOELLER AND JOSEPH J. HAGEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

NUT-CASTELLATING MACHINE.

Application filed November 9, 1923.

This invention relates to machines ada-pt ed more particularly for the castellation of nut blanks.

One of the objects of this iriventiop is to 5 provide a machine which is adapted ioi' the castellation of all types of nut blanks, whether having circular crowns or angular crowns.

Another object of this invention is to p ro- 10 vide an improved punch and die mechanism for such a machine,

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for holding and maiiipulating the nut blank during the punchinV o aeration. Y

Fuither objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the ac companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a niacliine embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the cam operating the device for forcing the nut on the retainer; Y

Figur-e 3 is an enlarged sectioiiai detail view of the forcing mechanism;

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the nut holder; Y

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the nut holder;

Figure 6 is a plan view, partlyin section, of the nut holder and its relation to the anvil which supports the die.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the anvil;

Figure 8 is an enlarged 'detail of the mandrel oil die;

Figure 9 is an end view of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a side view of the punch holder;

Figure 11 is a left hand en-d view of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a bottom view of Figure 10; and

Figure 13 is an end view of the mandrel with a partially castellated nutl thereon, showing the arrangement for clearance at the castellated portion of the nut.

RefeirinO' to the accompanying dra-wings, the mechanism illustrated in the embodiments of this invention is particularly designed to be placed on a punch-press, although it will be understood that the mechanism may have operating mechanism as a part thereof apart from any punchpress,

sei-iai No. 673.673.

In the drawings 1 designates the yoke and 2 the table of any suitable punch-press, all

of which may be supported on a suitable frame 3. The table of the punch-press is apertured as shown at 4 and is furthermore perforated to receive bolts for attaching the mechanism thereto. It will be understood,

of course, that the punch-press is provided A bed plate 5 is adapted to be bolted to the table 2 of the punch-press and is provided with an aperture 6 adapted to register with the aperture 4 of the table. This bed plate be additionally supported by suitable legs 7 attached to the frame 8.v The bed plate 5 is provided with a central aperture adapted to receive for rotation therein a turret 9 mounted on a vertical shaft 10. This turret is adapted to be driven in rotation by means of a worm wheel 11 vdriven by a worm 12 on a horizontal shaft 13 driven by any suitable source of power. not shown. The shaft 10 is suitably journallefd in the frame 8 and is splinedto the worm wheel 11 for vertical sliding movement therein. The shaft 10 also carries its upper end a multiple cam member 14 located within the turret 9 and provided with a series of cams 15, each operating on a cam roll 16 on the end of a nut carrier 17 mounted for radially sliding movement in the turret 9 and urged inwardly by a spring 18 mounted in the turret. The vertical movement of the shaft isadapted to carry the member 14 up or down, and during such movement the cams 15 operate to extend or retract the carriers 17. The turret. 9 is adapted to be connected intermittently with the worm wheel 11 so as to cause it to rotate through 90o between operations of the carriers 17. Thus when theV carriers are retracted, the turret moves through 90O of rotation whereupon the carriers are extended, one of which is adapted to Since, however, such de- 23 pivoted at 24 on the bed plate 5 and engaging a. collar 25 fixed on the shaft 10. This lever is provided with a cam roll 26 bearing against the cylindrical cam 22 lined to the Worm Wheel 1l. A spring 27 forces the lever' 23 upwardly against the cam and ope-rates to raisethe' shaft l() subject to the control oi the said cam.

The nut carriers 17 are each provided with means for retaining a nut thereon. These means are illustrated more' clearly in ures 3, 8 and 9 and comprise a split ring 28 surrounding a holder 29 (which forms aldie as hereinafter described) at a reduced portion 30. The ring 28 is constructed of resilient material and has normally an outside diameter greater than the bore of the nut blank. Tn order to retain tl`ie nut blank securely on the holding die 2gb-lit is necessary to force the same over the ring 28, the ring being compressed during such operation, as illustrated in Figure 3. ln order to insure the engagement of the ring 28 with the bore of the nut blank, Jforcing mechanism more particularly illustrated in Figure l is provided. In the nut blank supply 2O the blanks are arranged in a vertical stack terminating at the bottom in a horizontal channel 3l in which a plunger 32 is adapted to move. This plunger is provided `With a head 33 adapted to engage the nut blank and recessed as shown at 34 to receive the end of the holding die 29. A spring 35 operates to force the head 33 against the nut blank so as to urge the blank onto the holding die 29. As this spring may vnot be strong enough to torce the blank over the ring 28, additional mechanism is provided for this purpose. This comprises a cam 36 contoured as shown in Figure 2 and provided with radial extensions 37. This cam engages a cam roll 38 on the end of a spring-controlled plunger 39 mounted for sliding movement in the bracket 4() on the bed plate 5 and adapted to engage one end of the lever 4l pivoted at 4t2 on the bed and Whose other end is adapted to bear against the end of the plunger 32 .when the cam roll 38 rides over theextension 37. This movement of the lever 4l operates to press the VVplunger' 32 to the right, Figures l and 3, so

as to force the nut blank over the ring 28. Thus the holding die is lirst alined With the blank and moved to enter the same and then the lever l1 operates to force the blank home on the holding die. Itxvill be noted that during this movement of the forcing lever ll, the cam roll 16 is restingon a flat portion ol the cam l5, so that there will be no tendency for the roll 16 to move along the cam surface but this flat portion Will provide a .secure abutment Aagainst which the force of the lever 41 may act.

As shown more particularly in Figures el, 5 and 6, the nut blank rotating mechanism 21 comprises -a base within Which is mounted for rotation a cylindrical barrel 43 adapted to receive therewithin a nut blank secket fiel. The socket 4s is contoured internally so as to lit the outside ot the nut blank and externally so as to lit the barrel e3. .--his socket is retained in place by a nut ll5 .secure/.l a lock nut 46. Mounted on the outside of the barrel 43 and suitably keyed thereto by a key 47 is an indexing ring 48 provided with a series of notches 49 adapted for engage ment by an indexing latch 50. This ring operates With the latch 50 so as to tix the nut iii-any one of a series of oriented positions with respect to the punch and die so that the castellations may be located at the proper points on the blank. Fitted over the hub 5l of the ring 48 is a shifting plate or lever 52 connected at 53 to an actuating lever 5l connected by a link 55 to the ram of the press in any suitable manner net shown. The lever 54 is provided With a slot 56 adapted to receive at an adjusted position therealong a pivot pin or bolt (not shown) suitably fixed to the bed plate 5. The adjustment of the pivot pin or bolt along the slot 56 Will operate to adjust the throuT of the shitting lever hl2 with the movement of the ram. The connecting bolt 53 engages a slot 57 in the lever 54 so as to allow for the relative movement oif the levers 52 and'5ll. The lever 52 carries a spring pressed paivl 53 adapted to engage a series ot notches 59 in a shitting ring 60 mounted on the hub 5l of the ring 48 and keyed thereto by splines 6l. Thus the rings e8 and 60 are both fixed to the barrel e3, While the lever 52 is loose se as to be capable of rotary movement over the hub 5l. The up and down movement of the ram of the press produces a corresponding movement of the lever which in turn actuates the lever 52 to give the same a rocking movement on the hub 5l. This movement causes the paWl 58 to engage successively in the notches 59 .so as to successively rotate the barrel and therefore the nut blank to ditferent positions with respect to the punch and die. In each oit these positions the latch 50 engages one oit the notches 49 so as to accurately orient the blank in the correct position. Suitable cooperation between the movements of the rani of the press and the insertion and removal of the blank to an d from the socket il is provided.

The holding die 29 While forming a shank on which the blank is rotated is also formed to provide a die adapted 'for cooperation with a punch in order to castellate the blanks. For this purpose it is provided with a slot the upper edges ot which are suitably sharpened and hardened so as to provide the cut ting edges of a die. This slot is formed with a 'forwardly sloping rear Wall 63 ufhieh adapted to eject the punchings forwardly so as to clear the nut blank. T he holding die is further provided `Vith reduced portion 6l which is turned eccentrically with the body thereof but merges therewith at the top or at the cutting edges of the die. This is illustrated more particularly in Figure 9 and also in Figure 13. The purpose of this is to provide clearance at the castellated portion of the nut, so as to allow for a turned in portion or burr formed at the crown by the punching operation. This usually takes the form of an inward projection as illustrated in Figure 13. If such clearance were not provided, these burrs would be liable to reduce the bore of the blank to a sutlicient extent to cause the same to bind on the holding die. lith the clearance thus provided, these burrs do not touch the holding-die and cannot, therefore, interfere with the free rotation of the blank thereon. The holding die 29 is adapted to protrude beyond the nut blank Va short distance and is provided at the protruding portion with a fiat face 65 adapted for engagement with a suitable anvil so as to support the holding die during the punching operation as will now be described.

Immediately adjacent and in rear of the socket 44 is a base 66 provided with a socket 67 into which is fitted a block 68. This block 68 is adapted to be positioned over the aperture 6 in the bed plate 5. The block is further provided with a recess 69 adapted to receive the end of the holding die 29 and the lower face 70 of this recess is adapted to provide an anvil upon which the flattened face 65 of the holding die may rest during the punching operation. The block is provided with a slot 71 adapted to register with the slot 62 of the die when the latter is resting on the anvil. The forward portion of the block 68 is provided with a tapered aperture 72 in which the part of the blank to 'be castellated is adapted to project when the blank is held in position for castellation. The tapered sides of this slot assist in rejecting the punchings through t-he aperture 6. The block 68 may be constructed of suitably hardened steel Vor other suitable material and is insertible into and removable from the socket 67 so that a suitable anvil for each die may be quickly and conveniently put in place.

The punch is illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12. This comprises a punch holder 73 suitably arranged for mounting on the ram 7 f1 of the punch press.v This holder is in the form of a rectangular block having a. rearward extension 75 and provided along one side thereofswith a T-slot 76.. Arranged to slide in the slot 76 is a flat cutting blade 77. This blade has a simple rectangular cross section and is arranged to Slide in the enlarged portion of the T-slot 76 and is adapted to be clamped under the enlarged head 78 of the clamping bolt 79 so as to securely clamp the cutter in adjusted position. Adjustment may be accomplished by means of an adjusting screw 8O after loosening the bolt 79. In

order to provide a durable abutment against which the cutter may bear during the punching operation a plug 81, usually of hardened steel, is inserted in the holder 73 just. above the slot 76. This plug is renewable and is positioned so as to receive the jar of the punching operation. The slot 76 extends in an inclined direction with reference to the horizontal face of the holder 73 and emerges from the bottom of said holder a short distance in rear of the face 82 of the holder. Thus when the blade 77 is projected along that slot, its cutting tip will ext-end below the bottom of the holder as illustrated in Figure 10. Opposite the cutter 77 the holder 73 is recessed as shown at 83 so as to clear the nut blank vwhen the punch descends.

Arranged on the opposite side of theholder 7 3 from the slot 76 isa vertically arranged T-slot 84 adapted to receive lthe head 85 of a gauge 86. This gauge is arranged to be slipped into the slot 84 when it is desired to adjust t-he cutter 77 and is provided with an index portion 87 having a fixed position relatively to the 'die and against which the cutter may be set so as to accurately locate the same in adjusted position with respect to the die. When t-he adjustment is complete, the gauge 86 is removed from the slot 84.

It will thus be seen that the cutter 77 may be constructed ofa plain Hat piece of stock and uniformly hardened and tempered. As the cutter wears with use it may be reground and readj usted in the holder and this may be done repeatedly until the stock is entirely used up. The renewable plug 81 provides for renewing the abut-ment against which the cutter bears whenever the same shows signs of wear. The gauge 86 is arranged for quick and convenient adjusting of the cutter accurately to the proper position.

It will be particularly noted that in accordance wit-h this invention the nut blanks -are placed directly on members, each of which tion of a holder on which the nut is arranged to be carried to operating position and rotated or oriented, but it also forms a die cooperating with the punch to punch castellate the blank. Furthermore this member provides a. retainer on which the blank is placed so as to not only permit its withdrawal from the source of supply but it acts as well as an extractor so as to permit the castellated blank to be withdrawn or extracted from the nutrotating mechanism. Accordingly this combined nut holding die and retainer takes anut from the source of supply or the chute, carries it to the castellating station, h olds the nut while being castellated, and extracts and carries it away from the castellation station after the castellating operation is completed. The nut rotating mechanism, therefore, simply provides a socket for causing 'Cal the nut so positioned and retained to be rotated or oriented. As Will be seen there'are a multiplicity of these holding and retaining dies on a turret so that While a blank is being placed on one, another placed blank is being castellated, and While the latter is being extracted, a placed blank is Withdrawn from the source of supply or chute.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in details of construction Without departing trom the spirit of this invention; it is, therefore, to be Vunderstood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: Y Y

1. In a machine ot the character described, the combination with a source tor nut blanks, of a holder movable to enter a blank, means tor yieldingly engaging the blank with said holder, and unyielding means actuated upon such entry adapted to Jforce the blank on sai'd holder.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a. source for nut blanks, of a holder movable for alinement with a blank, means for yieldingly engaging the blank With said holder, and unyielding means actuated upon such aline-ment adapted to torce the alined blank on said holder.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a source for nut blanks, ot a holder movable for alinement with a blank, means for moving said holder` to enter the alined blank, means for yieldingly engagthe blank With said holder, and unyielding means actuated upon such entry adapted to torce the alined blank on said holder.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a source for nut blanks, ot a holder movable for alinementrivith a blank, means for moving said holder to enter the alined blank, means for yieldingly engaging the blank With said holder, unyield-A ing means actuated upon such entry adapted to force the alined blank on said holder, and means for retaining said holder While the blank is forced thereon.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a source of nut blanks, oit a holder movable to enter a blank, an actuator for said holder having an abutment, means for yieldingly engaging the blank With said holder, and unyielding means Operating in timed relation with said actuator adapted to torce the blank on said holder against said abutment.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a source of nut blanks, ol' a holder movable to enter a blank, a cam for actuating said holder having a flat portion, and imyielding means tor forcing the blank on said holder When engaging said fiat por tion.

'7. In a machine of the character described, in combination with a nut castellating die and means for positioning a nut-.blank thereon, ot a punch holder, a cutting' blade adj ustably mounted thereon and means on said holder, whereby a gauge may be slidably mounted on the holder for movement in front ot the blade thereby to determine theposition of said blade.

8. In a machine of the character described,

in combination With a nut castellating die and means for positioning a nut blank thereon, of a punch holder, a cutting blade adjustably mounted thereon, a gage slot in said holder, to position a gauge on the holder for movement in front of the blade, thereby to determine the position of said blade. n 9. In a machine of the character described, 1n combination With ya nut castellating die and means tor positioning a nut blank-thereon, of a punch holder, a cutting blade adjustably mounted thereon, a gage slot in said holder, to position a gauge on the holder for movement in front of the blade, thereby to determine the position of said blade, said gauge having a head adapted to detachably engage said slot and an index adpted for positioning the blade.

10. In a nut castellating mechanism having castellating member, a holding die adapted to receive the nut and formed with a clearance adjacent either side of the operating path of said member. Y

11. In a nut castellating mechanism, a holding die having a part adapted tor-cooperation With a punch and formed with a clearance adjacent either side of the operating path ot said punch.

12. In a nut castellating mechanism having Va castellating punch, a holding die adapted to receive the nut, said die having a punch receiving slot and formed with a clearance adjacent either side of the operating path of said punch;

18. In a nut castellating mechanism, a holding die having a part adapted for cooperation With al punch and reduced radially at the castellated region of the nut.

14. In a nut castellating mechanism, a holding die having a punch-receiving slot and reduced radially on the side of said slot.

15. In a nut castellating mechanism, a holding die having a punch-receiving slot, the mandrel at the castellated region beingreduced eccentrically.

16. In a nut castellating mechanism, a holding die having a punch-receiving slot, said holding die being reduced eccentrically and merging with the body of the holding die at said slot.

17. In a nut castellating mechanism, a cutting die adapted to receive and carry the nut blank, and means on said die for yieldingly retaining` the blank thereon.

18. In a nut castellating mechanism, a cutblank, and a resilient expansion rin on said ting die adapted to receive and carry the nut die, adapted to engage the inside of t e blank blank, and an expansion ring on said die, to yieldingly retain the saine on the die. 10 adapted to engage the inside of the blank to In testimony whereof We ax our signa- 5 retain the same on the die. tures this 29th day vof August, 1923.

19. In a nut eastellating mechanism, a cut- EDWARD J MOELLER.

ting die adapted to receive and carry the nut JOSEPH J. HAGEN. 

